JP7395347B2 - Sheet storage device, sheet feeding device, and sheet ejection device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet storage device that stores sheets, a sheet feeding device that feeds sheets, and a sheet discharge device that discharges sheets.

2. Description of the Related Art In image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and multifunction peripherals, sheet storage devices are used to store sheets used as recording media and sheets on which images are recorded. The sheet storage device includes a storage compartment (sometimes called a cassette or deck) that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus or the main body of a large-capacity feeding device connected to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a storage compartment inside the storage compartment. It is equipped with a loading member that can be raised and lowered.

Patent Document 1 describes that in a configuration in which a sheet stacking section suspended from a wire descends due to gravity when a storage is pulled out from the device main body, a rotary damper is used to suppress the descending speed of the sheet stacking section. ing. According to this document, a drive source for rotationally driving a wire winding drum is provided in the device main body, and when the storage is pulled out, the drive source and the winding drum are disconnected.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-184300

Unlike the above-mentioned literature, even when the storage is open, the loading member may be lowered by the driving force supplied by a driving source such as a motor. For example, when a pulse motor (stepping motor) is used as the drive source, by lowering the stacking member while counting the number of drive pulses, it is possible to improve the accuracy of controlling the position of the stacking member and the accuracy of managing the remaining amount of sheets. Therefore, there is a need to realize a function with a simple configuration that prevents the loaded members from rising unexpectedly when the storage compartment is open in the event that an abnormality occurs in the drive source or the control circuit of the drive source. was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet storage device, a sheet feeding device, and a sheet discharging device that have a simple configuration and can prevent the stacking members from rising when the storage is open. do.

One aspect of the present invention includes a stacking member on which sheets are stacked, an openable and closable storage that stores the sheets, a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the stacking member, and a lift mechanism that lifts the stacking member. a drive source that supplies a first drive force to lower the loading member and a second drive force to lower the loading member; and a drive source that supplies the first drive force to the lifting mechanism from the drive source when the storage is closed. a first transmission path for transmitting the second driving force, and a second transmission path for transmitting the second driving force from the drive source to the lifting mechanism in a state where the storage is closed and a state where the storage is open. a drive transmission mechanism, the drive transmission mechanism connects the first transmission path when the storage is closed, and blocks the first transmission path when the storage is open. The seat storage device is characterized in that it is equipped with a blocking means.

According to the present invention, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the loading member from rising while the storage is open.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view of the multistage feeding device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the storage of the multistage feeding device according to the first embodiment in a pulled out state. FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the storage of the multistage feeding device according to the first embodiment in a pulled out state. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the storage of the multistage feeding device according to the first embodiment in a pulled out state. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a lifting mechanism for a stacking tray according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drive transmission mechanism according to the first embodiment. Schematic diagrams (a, b) of the drive transmission mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the casing according to the first embodiment with the storage removed. FIGS. 2A and 2B are partially enlarged perspective views of the drive transmission mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIGS. FIGS. 2A and 2B are top views (a, b) in which a part of the drive transmission mechanism according to the first embodiment is enlarged. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the multistage feeding device according to the first embodiment. Schematic diagrams (a, b) of a drive transmission mechanism according to a second embodiment. Schematic diagrams (a, b) of a load mechanism according to a second embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a multistage feeding device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the drive transmission mechanism. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a stacker according to another embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
[Image forming system]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of an image forming system including a multistage feeding device and an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, a laser printer system (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer) using an electrophotographic method will be exemplified as an image forming apparatus having an image forming section. Note that the image forming apparatus constituting the image forming system may be a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction device, etc. in addition to a printer. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus is not limited to the electrophotographic method, but may be configured using another method such as an inkjet method.

The image forming system 1000 of this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 100, a multistage feeding apparatus 200 as a sheet feeding apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus 100, and a long feeding apparatus 500. . As will be described in detail later, the multi-stage feeding device 200 has a plurality of storage compartments each capable of storing a plurality of sheets, and can feed sheets from each storage compartment to the image forming apparatus 100. . Further, the elongate feeding device 500 also has a storage capable of storing a plurality of sheets, and is disposed upstream of the multistage feeding device 200 with respect to the sheet conveyance direction. The sheet fed from the long sheet feeding device 500 is conveyed to the image forming apparatus 100 via a relay conveying device 400 provided in the multistage feeding device 200. Note that examples of the sheet include paper such as plain paper, thin paper, and cardboard, and plastic sheets. Furthermore, the long sheet feeding device 500 can store a sheet (long sheet) that is long in the sheet conveyance direction, such as a sheet that exceeds the length of an A3 long side, and can feed the sheet toward the image forming apparatus 100 .

The image forming apparatus 100 generates toner images (images) in response to image signals from a document reading device 102 connected to the image forming apparatus main body 101 or a host device such as a personal computer communicably connected to the image forming apparatus main body 101. ) into a sheet. In this embodiment, the document reading device 102 is arranged above the image forming apparatus main body 101.

When reading a document, the document reading device 102 irradiates the document placed on the platen glass 103 with light from a scanning optical system light source, and reads the document image by inputting reflected light into a CCD. I have to. Further, the document reading device 102 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 104, which automatically transports the document placed on the tray 105 to the reading section of the document reading device 102, and images the document. It is also possible to read. The read original image is then converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to a laser scanner 113 of the image forming section 110, which will be described later. Note that image data transmitted from a personal computer or the like may be input to the laser scanner 113 as described above.

The image forming apparatus 100 includes an image forming section 110, a plurality of sheet feeding devices 120, a sheet conveying device 130, and the like. Each part of the image forming apparatus 100 is controlled by a control unit 140. The control unit 140 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU controls each part while reading a program corresponding to a control procedure stored in the ROM. Further, the RAM stores work data and input data, and the CPU performs control by referring to the data stored in the RAM based on the aforementioned program and the like.

Each of the plurality of sheet feeding devices 120 includes a cassette 121 that stores the sheets S, a pickup roller 122, and a separation conveyance roller pair 125 that includes a feed roller 123 and a retard roller 124. The sheets S stored in the cassette 121 are separated and fed one by one by a pick-up roller 122 and a pair of separating and conveying rollers 125, which move up and down and rotate at predetermined timing.

The sheet conveying device 130 includes a pair of conveying rollers 131 and a pair of registration rollers 133. The sheet S fed from the sheet feeding device 120 is passed through a sheet conveyance path 134 by a pair of conveyance rollers 131 and then guided to a pair of registration rollers 133 . Thereafter, the sheet S is sent to the image forming section 110 at a predetermined timing by a pair of registration rollers 133.

Note that sheets conveyed via a pair of conveyance rollers 201 from a multistage feeding device 200 or a long sheet feeding device 500 (described later) are conveyed into the image forming apparatus 100 via a connection path 202 with the image forming apparatus 100. Ru. The sheet conveyed into the image forming apparatus 100 from the multistage feeding device 200 or the long feeding device 500 is sent to the image forming unit 110 at a predetermined timing via a pair of registration rollers 133.

The image forming section 110 includes a photosensitive drum 111, a charger 112, a laser scanner 113, a developing device 114, a transfer device 115, a cleaner 117, and the like. During image formation, the photosensitive drum 111 is rotated clockwise in the figure, and first, the surface of the photosensitive drum 111 is uniformly charged by the charger 112. Then, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 111 by irradiating the charged photosensitive drum 111 with laser light from the laser scanner 113 that is modulated according to the image signal. Further, the electrostatic latent image thus formed on the photosensitive drum 111 is then visualized as a toner image by the developing device 114.

Thereafter, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 111 is transferred onto the sheet S by the transfer device 115 in the transfer section 116. Furthermore, the sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred in this manner is conveyed to a fixing device 150, where the toner image is fixed, and then discharged by a discharge roller 151 to a discharge tray 152 outside the machine.

When forming a toner image on the back surface of the sheet S, the sheet S discharged from the fixing device 150 is conveyed to a reversing conveyance path 160. Then, the sheet S is conveyed again to the transfer section 116 of the image forming section 110 with the front and back sides reversed by the reversing conveyance path 160. The sheet S with the toner image transferred to its back surface is conveyed to a fixing device 150, and after the toner image is fixed, the sheet S is discharged onto a discharge tray 152 by a discharge roller 151. Note that the transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 111 after the transfer is removed by a cleaner 117.

[Overview of multistage feeding device]
Continuing with reference to FIG. 1, the outline of the multistage feeding device 200 will be described. The multistage feeding device 200 includes a plurality of storages 210a to 210c, a relay conveyance device 400, and the like. In this embodiment, the three storages 210a to 210c are arranged vertically in three stages, and the relay conveyance device 400 is disposed between the bottom storage 210c and the second storage 210b from the top.

Sheets fed from the top storage 210a are conveyed to the conveyance path 212, sheets fed from the second storage 210b from the top are conveyed to the conveyance path 213, and the sheets fed from the top storage 210a are conveyed to the conveyance path 213. The sheets fed from the warehouse 210c are conveyed to the conveyance path 214. Further, the sheet conveyed from the relay conveyance device 400 is conveyed to the conveyance path 215. The transport route 213 joins the transport route 212 midway. Furthermore, the conveyance paths 212 , 214 , and 215 meet at a confluence point 216 , and are conveyed through a conveyance path 217 to a pair of conveyance rollers 201 , and then conveyed to the image forming apparatus 100 via a connection path 202 .

Further, double feed detection sensors for detecting double feeding of sheets are respectively arranged in the conveyance path 212 after merging with the conveyance path 213, the relay conveyance device 400, and the conveyance path 214. Then, the sheet whose double feed is detected by the double feed detection sensor is conveyed to the conveyance path 217. A double-feed sheet storage section (escape tray) 218 is arranged below the conveyance path 217 to accommodate sheets for which double-feed has been detected. When double feeding is detected, the sheet conveyed to the conveyance path 217 is conveyed to the double conveyance sheet storage section by switching the conveyance path by a switching member 219 provided in the conveyance path 217.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the multistage feeding device 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the multistage feeding device 200 has a plurality of storages 210a to 210c, each of which can store a plurality of sheets. The storages 210a to 210c are arranged vertically in multiple stages. The storages 210a to 210c can be opened and closed by pulling out and inserting them into the housing 204 of the multistage feeding device 200, respectively.

Sheets fed from the storages 210a to 210c are conveyed to the connection path 202 (see FIG. 1) via conveyance paths 212, 213, and 214. Further, each part of the multistage feeding apparatus 200 is controlled by a control section 203 (see FIG. 1). The control unit 203 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) (see FIG. 12). The control section 203, which is the control means of this embodiment, controls the operation of each section of the multistage feeding apparatus 200 by having the CPU read out and execute a control program from the ROM using the RAM as a work area. For example, the control unit 203 can communicate with the control unit 140 of the image forming apparatus 100, and controls sheet feeding timing and the like by communicating with the control unit 140.

The multi-stage feeding device 200 has buttons 205a to 205c as operation units for pulling out the storages 210a to 210c. Buttons 205a-205c are provided on the front surfaces of storages 210a-210c, respectively. For example, when the operator presses the button 205a, the locking mechanism that locks the storage 210a in the mounting position is released, and the storage 210a is pushed out of the housing 204 by a spring (not shown). This allows the operator to pull out the storage 210a to a position where sheets can be stored, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. Note that, by pressing the buttons 205a to 205c, a motor or the like may be used to automatically move the storage compartments 210a to 210c to a position where sheets can be stored.

The "storage open state" refers to a state in which the storage space in the storage is open, and in this embodiment, the storage 210a to 210c allows the user to replenish or replace sheets. This refers to the state in which it is pulled out from the housing 204 to the position shown in FIG. The “state in which the storage space is closed” refers to a state in which the storage space is closed, and in this embodiment, the storage spaces 210a to 210c are placed at a predetermined mounting position within the housing 204 (the sheet feeding position within the storage space). This refers to the state in which the command has been inserted to the point where it can be executed.

The storages 210a to 210c have the same basic configuration except for the number of sheets that can be stored. Therefore, although the configuration of the storage will be described below using the topmost storage 210a as a representative example, the other storages 210b and 210c are also provided with a similar configuration. Note that the storages 210a to 210c may be configured so that the number of sheets that can be stored is equal to each other.

[Storage]
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the storage 210a pulled out from the housing 204, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the storage 210a includes a sheet storage section 220 that stores sheets S, and a sheet feeding section 230 that feeds the sheets S from the sheet storage section 220 toward the image forming apparatus 100. , has.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sheet storage section 220 includes a stacking tray 221, which is a stacking member on which the sheets S are stacked, an abutting section 222, a rear end regulating plate 223, a side regulating plate 224, and the like. The stacking tray 221 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction (substantially vertical direction) by a lifting mechanism that will be described later. The stacking tray 221 is controlled to be lowered to a predetermined position by a lifting mechanism when the storage 210a is opened by operating the button 205a. Further, when the stacking tray 221 is inserted into the housing 204, the upper surface of the sheet S stacked on the stacking tray 221 (the upper surface of the uppermost sheet) is fed by the sheet feeding unit 230. It is controlled to rise to the height position (feeding position).

The abutment section 222 is disposed on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction in the accommodation space 225 in which sheets are accommodated, and is abutted against the downstream end (leading edge) of the sheets stacked on the stacking tray 221 in the conveyance direction. The trailing edge regulating plate 223 is disposed on the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction in the storage space 225, and is abutted against the upstream end (rear end) in the conveying direction of the sheets stacked on the stacking tray 221, thereby adjusting the trailing edge position of the sheet. to regulate. The trailing edge regulating plate 223 is movable in the sheet conveyance direction, and can adjust the trailing edge regulating position of the sheet according to the sheet size. The side regulating plates 224 are arranged on both sides of the storage space 225 in the width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, and regulate the positions of both ends of the sheet in the width direction. The side regulation plate 224 is movable in the width direction, and the regulation position in the width direction of the sheet can be adjusted according to the sheet size.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sheet feeding section 230 includes a pickup roller 231 as a sheet feeding means (feeding roller), a separation conveyance roller pair 234 including a conveyance roller 232 and a retard roller, and a pair of separation conveyance rollers 234 (not shown). and a pair of conveyance rollers. The pickup roller 231 and the separation conveyance roller pair 234 are arranged at the upper downstream end of the storage space 225 in the sheet conveyance direction and approximately at the center in the width direction.

The pickup roller 231 is provided above the stacking tray 221, contacts the top sheet of the sheets S stacked on the raised stacking tray 221, and feeds the top sheet. For this purpose, the pickup roller 231 is disposed near the leading end of the sheet S in the sheet conveyance direction so as to be able to press against the uppermost sheet on the stacking tray 221 with an appropriate contact pressure. Note that the pickup roller 231 is an example of sheet feeding means, and for example, the sheet S may be fed by pressing a belt member against the sheet S, or the sheet may be fed by adsorbing the sheet to a breathable belt member using a vacuum mechanism. You may send it.

When two or more sheets are overlapped and fed from the pickup roller 231, the separation conveyance roller pair 234 separates and conveys only one sheet. That is, the conveyance roller 232 of the separation conveyance roller pair 234 rotates in the same direction as the pickup roller 231 and conveys the sheet sent from the pickup roller 231. On the other hand, the retard roller rotates in a direction opposite to the sheet conveyance direction, and pushes back sheets other than the topmost sheet among the two or more sheets sent from the pickup roller 231 to the stacking tray 221 side. Note that the retard roller has a built-in torque limiter (not shown), so that when only one sheet is sent to the separation conveyance roller pair 234, the retard roller is rotated by the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller 232. ing. The sheets separated and conveyed one by one by the pair of separation conveyance rollers 234 are conveyed to the image forming apparatus 100 via the connection path 202 (see FIG. 1) as described above.

In the case of this embodiment, the sheet feeding section 230 is provided in the storage 210a as described above. Therefore, when the storage 210a is pulled out and inserted into the housing 204 of the multi-stage feeding device 200, it moves together with the storage 210a. In this way, by configuring the sheet feeding section 230 so that it can be pulled out together with the storage 210a, maintenance such as replacing each roller of the sheet feeding section 230 is facilitated.

As shown in FIG. 5, rails 229 are provided on both sides of the storage 210a, extending in the front-rear direction (direction connecting the front side and the back side) of the multi-stage feeding device 200. On the other hand, the housing 204 is provided with a roller member 15 (see FIG. 9) serving as a support means for slidably supporting the storage 210a in the front-rear direction via a rail 229. Note that FIG. 9 is a front view of the housing 204 with the storage 210a removed.

Furthermore, an opening/closing detection sensor 321 is arranged in the multistage feeding device 200 as a detection means for detecting opening/closing of the storage 210a (see FIGS. 9 and 12). As the opening/closing detection sensor 321, for example, an optical sensor configuration including a photointerrupter 321a installed in the housing 204 and a light shielding part 321b provided in the storage 210a can be used. In this case, when the storage 210a is inserted to the mounting position, the light shielding part 321b blocks the light emitted from the light emitting part of the photointerrupter 321a, and the light receiving part of the photointerrupter 321a enters a state where it does not detect light. When the storage 210a is pulled out from the mounting position, the light shielding section 321b moves and the light receiving section of the photo interrupter 321a enters a state where it is detecting light. Therefore, the control unit 203 of the multistage feeding device 200 can determine whether the storage 210a is closed or open based on the output signal of the photointerrupter 321a.

[Loading tray lifting mechanism]
Next, a mechanism for lifting and lowering the stacking tray 221 in the storage 210a will be explained. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the elevating mechanism 300 for the stacking tray 221. In the figure, arrow F is the front direction of the multistage feeding device 200, and arrow R is the back direction of the multistage feeding device 200.

The elevating mechanism 300 of this embodiment is a wire-type elevating mechanism that includes a plurality of wires 305 that are supporting members for suspending the stacking tray 221, and a winding shaft 303 that winds and unwinds the wires 305. Each wire 305 is routed via a guide pulley supported by the frame of the storage 210a, and has one end fixed to drum parts 304a and 304b provided on the winding shaft 303, and the other end attached to the loading tray 221. It is connected. In this embodiment, the four corners of the stacking tray 221 are supported by wires 305. Then, as the winding shaft 303 rotates, the drum parts 304a and 304b wind up or unwind the wire 305, so that the stacking tray 221 rises or falls in a substantially vertical direction.

The lifting mechanism 300 is driven by a drive unit that includes a motor M as a drive source and a drive transmission mechanism 301 that transmits the driving force of the motor M to the winding shaft 303. The motor M is a motor capable of forward and reverse rotation. Hereinafter, assume that the forward rotation of the motor M drives the winding shaft 303 in a direction to wind up the wire 305, and the reverse rotation of the motor M drives the winding shaft 303 in a direction to unwind the wire 305. That is, the rotational force in the forward rotation direction output by the motor M is the first driving force for raising the loading member in this embodiment, and the rotational force in the reverse rotation direction output by the motor M is the first driving force for raising the loading member in this embodiment. This is the second driving force for lowering the member.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 6, the motor M and the drive transmission mechanism 301 are both arranged in the storage 210a, and the motor M is supplied with power even when the storage 210a is pulled out from the housing 204. It is configured as follows. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a driver circuit D that drives the motor M based on an instruction from the control unit 203 is placed in the storage 210a together with the main body of the motor M, and the driver circuit D is connected to the housing 204 via the cable FC. Connect to the side power supply circuit PW. As the cable FC, a flexible cable having a length that can follow the opening and closing of the storage 210a while connecting the power supply circuit PW and the driver circuit D can be used. Such a cable FC functions as a supply means for supplying electric power to the motor M even when the storage 210a is open.

As the motor M, it is preferable to use a pulse motor (also called a stepping motor) driven by pulses. For example, a DC motor can be used as the motor M, but in that case, a rotary encoder or a sensor that detects the position of the stacking tray 221 is also used to manage the remaining amount of sheets and improve the accuracy of raising and lowering the stacking tray 221. It is preferable. On the other hand, by using a pulse motor as the motor M, the number of drive pulses output to the motor M can be counted without using any additional parts, thereby increasing the accuracy of sheet remaining amount management and lifting and lowering operations of the stacking tray 221. becomes possible.

Note that a method for managing the remaining amount of sheets includes a method using a sensor that detects the presence of the upper surface of the sheet S at the feeding position. In this case, the control unit 203 moves the stacking tray 221 to a predetermined position (for example, the lower limit position in the sheet storage unit 220) when the storage 210a is opened. Thereafter, when the storage 210a is closed, the control unit 203 drives the motor M while counting the number of drive pulses to start raising the stacking tray 221, and stops the motor M when the sensor detects the top surface of the sheet. . Furthermore, when the upper surface of the sheet becomes lower than a predetermined position due to the sheet being fed from the storage 210a, the control unit 203 again drives the motor M while counting the number of drive pulses to start raising the stacking tray 221, When the sensor detects the upper surface of the seat, the motor M is stopped. When performing such control, the control unit 203 determines the current position based on the difference between the height of the loading tray 221 and the feeding position, which corresponds to the cumulative value of the number of drive pulses since the storage 210a was closed. The remaining amount of sheets can be calculated.

[Drive transmission mechanism]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the drive transmission mechanism 301 according to this embodiment, and FIGS. 8(a, b) are schematic diagrams of the drive transmission mechanism 301. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (a, b), the drive transmission mechanism 301 includes a belt 311, an input pulley 302, a one-way clutch 302a, a coupling member 307, a release spring 312, a drive gear 309, idler gears 308, 308, and a take-up gear 306.

The input pulley 302 is the first rotating member of this embodiment, and the drive gear 309 is the second rotating member of this embodiment. Further, the coupling member 307 as the auxiliary transmission member and the release spring 312 as the biasing means constitute the blocking means of this embodiment.

The input pulley 302 is arranged on a rotating shaft 310 and connected to an output pulley attached to the output shaft of the motor M via a belt 311. Therefore, the input pulley 302 always rotates in conjunction with the output shaft of the motor M. The rotational direction of the input pulley 302 when the motor M rotates forward is defined as a first direction R1, and the rotational direction of the input pulley 302 when the motor M rotates in the reverse direction is defined as a second direction R2.

The one-way clutch 302a is built into the input pulley 302 and connects the input pulley 302 and the rotating shaft 310. Further, the drive gear 309 is attached to the rotating shaft 310 so as to be non-rotatable. Therefore, the one-way clutch 302a has a function of transmitting the rotation of the input pulley 302 in one direction to the drive gear 309. Specifically, the one-way clutch 302a transmits the rotation of the input pulley 302 (rotation of the input pulley 302 in the second direction R2) when the motor M reverses the rotation direction to the rotating shaft 310 and the drive gear 309. On the other hand, the one-way clutch 302a does not transmit the rotation of the input pulley 302 (rotation of the input pulley 302 in the first direction R1) when the motor M rotates normally to the rotating shaft 310 and the drive gear 309.

The coupling member 307 is arranged on the rotating shaft 310 and is slidable in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 310. That is, the input pulley 302, the coupling member 307, and the drive gear 309 are provided on a common rotating shaft 310. The coupling member 307 has a function of connecting and interrupting the drive transmission from the input pulley 302 to the drive gear 309 when the motor M rotates normally in conjunction with insertion and withdrawal of the storage 210a. The detailed structure and operation of the coupling member 307 will be described later.

The take-up gear 306 is attached to the above-mentioned take-up shaft 303, and is constantly connected to the drive gear 309 via idler gears 308, 308. Therefore, in conjunction with the rotation of the drive gear 309 as the second rotating member, the winding shaft 303 rotates to wind or unwind the wire 305, and the stacking tray 221 is moved up and down.

Note that the storage 210a includes a frame 300a that constitutes a frame of the storage 210a, and an auxiliary frame 300b fixed to the frame 300a by a method such as screwing. The components of the motor M and the drive transmission mechanism 301 are provided in the storage 210a by being supported by one or both of the frame 300a and the auxiliary frame 300b.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the drive transmission mechanism 301 can include a load mechanism that combines a one-way clutch 316a and a torque limiter 316b. The torque limiter 316b is attached to a shaft member fixed to the auxiliary frame 300b, and is connected to a gear 309a coaxial with the drive gear 309 via a one-way clutch 316a. The one-way clutch 316a is configured to rotate the torque limiter 316b when the drive gear 309 rotates in a direction to raise the loading tray 221, and to idle when the drive gear 309 rotates in a direction to lower the loading tray 221. be done. Therefore, when the drive gear 309 rotates due to normal rotation of the motor M, a load of the torque limiter 316b is applied to the motor M up to the torque setting value of the torque limiter 316b. On the other hand, when the drive gear 309 rotates due to the reverse rotation of the motor M, the load of the torque limiter 316b is not applied to the motor M. Note that the one-way clutch 316a and torque limiter 316b of this embodiment can be omitted.

[Interruption of drive transmission by coupling member]
Next, the detailed structure and operation of the coupling member 307 will be explained. 10(a, b) are enlarged perspective views of a portion of the drive transmission mechanism 301 relating to the coupling member 307, and FIGS. 11(a, b) are top views thereof. 10(a) and 11(a) correspond to a state in which drive is transmitted via the coupling member 307 (connected state), and FIG. 10(b) and FIG. 11(b) show the coupling member 307. This corresponds to a state in which drive transmission via 307 is cut off (blocked state).

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the coupling member 307 is slidable in the axial direction with respect to the rotating shaft 310 as described above. Therefore, the coupling member 307 is movable toward and away from the input pulley 302 in the axial direction.

As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the coupling member 307 is provided with a plurality of engagement claws 307b that engage with the input pulley 302. As shown in FIGS. The coupling member 307 allows the rotational force of the input pulley 302 when the motor M rotates forward (when raising the loading tray 221) by pressing the engagement claw 307b against the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302. receive. Further, the coupling member 307 is configured to rotate integrally with the rotating shaft 310 at least in the rotational direction (first direction R1) of the input pulley 302 when the motor M rotates normally. For example, the coupling member 307 is supported by the rotating shaft 310 by key engagement or spline engagement so as to be non-rotatable relative to the rotary shaft 310 and slidably movable in the axial direction.

Note that the engaging claw 307b and the engaging surface 302b shown in FIGS. 10(a, b) have a ratchet-like shape in which the surface opposite to the engaging surface is configured as a spirally inclined surface. . Alternatively, the engaging claw 307c and the engaging surface 302c may have a dog clutch shape, for example, as shown in FIG. 16.

With the above configuration, when the engaging claws 307b of the coupling member 307 are disengaged from the input pulley 302 as shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 11 (a), the motor M rotates in the normal direction. However, the coupling member 307 does not receive rotational force from the input pulley 302. Further, the rotation direction (first direction R1) of the input pulley 302 when the motor M rotates normally is the direction in which the one-way clutch 302a described above slips. Therefore, even if the motor M rotates forward with the coupling member 307 detached from the input pulley 302, the rotating shaft 310 does not rotate and the winding shaft 303 of the lifting mechanism 300 is not driven.

On the other hand, when the motor M rotates in reverse with the coupling member 307 detached from the input pulley 302, the input pulley 302 and the rotating shaft 310 are rotated together in the second direction R2 by the one-way clutch 302a. Therefore, the winding shaft 303 is driven in the direction in which the wire 305 is fed out, and the stacking tray 221 is lowered.

On the other hand, when the engaging claws 307b of the coupling member 307 are engaged with the input pulley 302 as shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 11 (b), the motor M rotates in the forward direction. Then, the coupling member 307 rotates in the first direction R1 together with the input pulley 302. Then, as the drive gear 309 rotates in the first direction R1 via the coupling member 307 and the rotation shaft 310, the winding shaft 303 is driven in the direction of winding the wire 305, and the loading tray 221 rises.

On the other hand, when the motor M rotates in reverse while the coupling member 307 is engaged with the input pulley 302, the input pulley 302 and the rotating shaft 310 are rotated together in the second direction R2 by the one-way clutch 302a. Therefore, in the same way as when the coupling member 307 is detached from the input pulley 302, the winding shaft 303 is driven in the direction of feeding out the wire 305, and the loading tray 221 is lowered.

In this way, the drive transmission mechanism 301 of this embodiment is configured to transmit the driving force input from the motor M through two branched paths. The first transmission path is a path that passes through the coupling member 307, and transmits the driving force (first driving force) when the motor M rotates normally. The second transmission path is a path via the one-way clutch 302a, and transmits the driving force (second driving force) when the motor M rotates in reverse. The first transmission path is switched between the connected state and the disconnected state depending on the position of the coupling member 307, while the second transmission path is always connected regardless of the position of the coupling member 307. There is.

[Opening/closing storage and moving coupling parts]
Here, the coupling member 307 moves into a connected position corresponding to the connected state (FIG. 8(b)) and a blocking position corresponding to the blocked state (FIG. 8(a)) in conjunction with insertion and withdrawal of the storage 210a. Explain how to move between. The connection position is the position where the auxiliary transmission member connects the first transmission path, and the cutoff position is the position where the auxiliary transmission member disconnects the first transmission path and places it in the disconnection state (connection). release position).

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a release spring 312 as a biasing means is arranged between the input pulley 302 and the coupling member 307. The release spring 312 moves the coupling member 307 away from the input pulley 302 (that is, between the engagement claw 307b of the coupling member 307 (FIGS. 10(a, b)) and the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302. (in the direction of releasing the engagement).

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8(a, b), the frame 241 of the casing 204 of the multi-stage feeding device 200 has a movable contact portion that can contact and slide the coupling member 307. A member 242 is provided. In this embodiment, the stay 241b is fixed to a frame plate 241a that constitutes the back side of a space (see FIG. 9) in which the storage 210a is accommodated in the housing 204 by a method such as screwing. The movable member 242 is fixed to the housing 204 side by fitting the movable member 242 into a notch provided in the stay 241b (see FIGS. 10(a, b)).

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 11 (a), the moving member 242 is attached to the end of the coupling member 307 opposite to the input pulley 302 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 310. A pressing portion 307a to be pressed is provided. The coupling member 307 is movable toward the input pulley 302 against the urging force of the release spring 312 by having the pressing portion 307a pressed by the moving member 242.

With the above configuration, the coupling member 307 constituting the blocking means of this embodiment switches the first transmission path between the connected state and the blocked state in conjunction with the opening and closing of the storage 210a.

That is, when the storage 210a is inserted into the housing 204, as shown in FIGS. Ring member 307 is held in the connected position. Therefore, the first transmission path of the drive transmission mechanism 301 becomes connected, and the elevating mechanism 300 raises and lowers the stacking tray 221 in accordance with the normal rotation and reverse rotation of the motor M. That is, the drive transmission mechanism of this embodiment is in a connected state in which the first driving force can be transmitted from the drive source to the lifting mechanism when the storage is closed.

On the other hand, when the storage 210a is pulled out from the housing 204, as shown in FIGS. The coupling member 307 moves to the blocking position due to the biasing force 312. Therefore, the first transmission path of the drive transmission mechanism 301 is cut off, and even if the motor M rotates in the normal direction, the lifting mechanism 300 does not operate, and the loading tray 221 can only be lowered in response to the reverse rotation of the motor M. becomes. That is, the drive transmission mechanism of the present embodiment enters a cutoff state in which transmission of the first driving force from the drive source to the elevating mechanism is cut off by the cutoff means when the storage is open.

Therefore, in a configuration in which power is supplied to the motor M even when the storage compartment 210a is open, the configuration in which the coupling member 307 is moved in conjunction with the opening and closing of the storage compartment 210a allows the loading tray 221 to be It is possible to prevent the temperature from rising without increasing the temperature. In other words, in a configuration where power is supplied to the drive source even when the storage compartment is open, a simple configuration that uses mechanical cutoff means can prevent the loading member from rising unexpectedly when the storage compartment is open. It can be prevented.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, by using a pulse motor as the motor M, the control unit 203 can accurately determine the position of the stacking tray 221 and the remaining amount of sheets by counting the number of drive pulses without adding a rotary encoder or the like. can be grasped.

In addition, as another method for preventing the loading member from rising unexpectedly when the storage is open, it is possible to provide an interlock switch that is linked to opening and closing of the storage. For example, when using a DC motor as the motor M, there is a circuit that supplies current when rotating the motor in the forward direction (direction that raises the loading tray 221), and a circuit that supplies current when rotating the motor in the reverse direction. A separate circuit can be provided. A switch is provided on the normal rotation circuit, which is shut off when the storage is opened and connected when the storage is closed.

However, in this method, the provision of the interlock switch complicates the control circuit. Furthermore, when a pulse motor is used as the motor M, it is sometimes difficult to provide separate circuits for forward rotation and reverse rotation. In contrast, in this embodiment, a simple configuration using a mechanical blocking means prevents the loading member from rising unexpectedly when the storage compartment is open, regardless of the type of drive source. It is possible.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a multistage feeding device according to a second embodiment will be described using FIGS. 13 and 14. In this embodiment, when a mechanical cutoff means is provided as in the first embodiment, a load means is provided which functions when the cutoff means does not operate due to a mechanical abnormality when the storage is opened. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment. Hereinafter, elements with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment have substantially the same configuration and operation as those in the first embodiment, and portions different from the first embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 13(a, b) are schematic diagrams of the drive transmission mechanism 301, and FIGS. 14(a, b) are schematic diagrams of the load means according to this embodiment. 13(a) and 14(a) correspond to a state in which the storage 210a is open, and FIGS. 13(b) and 14(b) correspond to a state in which the storage 210a is closed.

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, similarly to the first embodiment, the storage 210a includes a motor M and a drive transmission mechanism 301 that transmits the driving force of the motor M to the winding shaft 303 of the lifting mechanism 300. is provided. The drive transmission mechanism 301 has a coupling member 307 as an auxiliary transmission member constituting a cutoff means and a release spring 312 as a biasing means, and the coupling member 307 is connected to the input pulley 302 in conjunction with opening and closing of the storage 210a. move against.

Therefore, normally, when the storage 210a is opened from the closed state shown in FIG. 13(b), the coupling member 307 is connected by the biasing force of the release spring 312 as shown in FIG. 13(a). It moves from the connection position corresponding to the state to the cutoff position corresponding to the cutoff state. On the other hand, it is assumed that the first transmission path (the path for raising the loading tray 221) of the drive transmission mechanism 301 may not be switched to the cutoff state due to a single mechanical failure. For example, there may be a case where the one-way clutch 302a is always in an engaged state (biting state) regardless of the rotational direction, or a case where the coupling member 307 is not properly biased due to deterioration or damage of the release spring 312. .

Therefore, in this embodiment, a load mechanism 316 is provided in order to further improve safety. The load mechanism 316 of this embodiment is a mechanism including a one-way clutch 316a and a torque limiter 316b. The torque limiter 316b is attached to a non-rotating shaft, and is connected to a gear 309a coaxial with the drive gear 309 via a one-way clutch 316a. The one-way clutch 316a is configured to rotate the torque limiter 316b when the drive gear 309 rotates in a direction to raise the loading tray 221, and to idle when the drive gear 309 rotates in a direction to lower the loading tray 221. be done. The torque setting value of the torque limiter 316b is set to a value large enough to cause the motor M, which is a pulse motor, to step out of synchronization, for example.

Further, the load mechanism 316 of this embodiment is configured to engage with and disengage from the gear 309a in conjunction with opening and closing of the storage 210a. As shown in FIGS. 14(a, b), the load mechanism 316 is held by an arm 318 that can swing relative to the frame of the storage 210a, and is biased toward the gear 309a by biasing means such as a spring 317. has been done. Then, as the storage 210a is closed, it is separated from the gear 309a by the separating means as shown in FIGS. 13(b) and 14(b). As the separating means, for example, an actuator such as a solenoid or a cam mechanism can be used. Furthermore, for example, a configuration in which a protrusion provided on the housing 204 presses the arm 318 in the right direction in FIG. 14(b) may be used as the separating means.

With the above configuration, even if the first transmission path of the drive transmission mechanism 301 is not switched to the cutoff state due to a single mechanical failure when the storage 210a is pulled out from the housing 204, the motor M can rotate in the normal direction. The load of the load mechanism 316 acts on this. Therefore, the driving force for lifting the loading tray 221 is reduced by at least the torque setting value of the torque limiter 316b, making it possible to further improve safety. In addition, when the motor M rotates in reverse with the storage 210a pulled out from the housing 204, and when the motor M rotates forward or reverse with the storage 210a inserted into the housing 204, the load on the load mechanism 316 does not work. Therefore, the load mechanism 316 makes it possible to further improve safety without reducing drive transmission efficiency in these cases.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the torque limiter 316b is used as a load means, but other mechanisms for generating a load may be used. For example, instead of the torque limiter 316b, a device that generates a radial load (rotational load), such as an oil damper, can be used.

Furthermore, for example, it is also possible to use one in which the one-way clutch 316a is directly attached to a non-rotating shaft without using the torque limiter 316b. In this case, when the load mechanism 316 is engaged with the gear 309a, forward rotation of the motor M is substantially restricted. However, by interposing the torque limiter 316b as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the one-way clutch 316a and the like, thereby improving the durability of the device.

<Third embodiment>
Next, a multistage feeding device according to a third embodiment will be described using FIG. 15. The present embodiment has the advantage that when a mechanical shutoff means is provided as in the first embodiment, an operation is performed to assist the movement of the auxiliary transmission member from the connection position to the shutoff position when the storage is opened. This is different from each of the above embodiments. Hereinafter, elements with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment have substantially the same configuration and operation as those in the first embodiment, and portions different from the first embodiment will be described.

First, using the multistage feeding device of the first embodiment as an example, a case will be described in which the movement of the auxiliary transmission member from the connection position to the cutoff position fails when the storage is opened.

As explained using FIGS. 8(a, b) and 10(a, b), when the storage 210a is closed, the coupling member 307 is in the connected position, and the engagement of the coupling member 307 is The pawl 307b engages with the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302. When the storage 210a is opened, the coupling member 307 is released from the pressure of the moving member 242, so the coupling member 307 is normally moved from the connecting position to the blocking position by the urging force of the release spring 312 (see FIG. 8). a)).

However, if the engagement claw 307b of the coupling member 307 and the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302 are strongly engaged, the movement of the coupling member 307 may be hindered by friction between the engagement surfaces. If the engagement state between the coupling member 307 and the input pulley 302 is maintained through such meshing even after the storage compartment 210a is opened, the drive transmission via the coupling member 307 will occur even if the motor M rotates in the forward direction. This causes the stacking tray 221 to rise.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the control unit 203 (FIG. 12) of the multistage feeding device 200 detects that the storage 210a is pulled out, a non-separation mechanism is provided to more reliably separate the coupling member 307 from the input pulley 302. Perform state prevention processing. Hereinafter, the contents of the non-separation state prevention process will be explained along the flowchart of FIG. 15. It is assumed that each step of this flow is executed by the CPU of the control unit 203 reading out and executing a control program from the ROM.

The control unit 203 monitors whether the storage 210a is opened or closed based on the output signal of the opening/closing detection sensor 321 (S11). When the opening/closing detection sensor 321 changes from a state in which it detects that the storage compartment 210a is located at the mounting position in the housing 204 (ON) to a state in which it does not detect it (OFF), the control unit 203 waits for a predetermined time T1. After that (S12), the motor M is reversed (S13). When the motor M is reversely reversed for a predetermined time T2 (S14), the control unit 203 stops the motor M (S15). That is, when the opening/closing detection sensor 321 (detecting means) detects the withdrawal of the storage 210a, the control unit 203 performs a process ( S11 to S15) are executed.

The above-mentioned predetermined time T1 is the moving speed of the storage 210a in a normal drawer operation, and is longer than the time required for the pressing part 307a of the coupling member 307 (FIG. 10(a)) to separate from the moving member 242 on the housing 204 side. length. The moving speed of the storage 210a in a normal pull-out operation is, for example, a speed that corresponds to the biasing force of the spring that pushes out the storage 210a from the housing 204 as described in the first embodiment. The predetermined time T1 is set to, for example, about 2.0 seconds.

Further, the predetermined time T2 is such that the engagement claw 307b of the coupling member 307 and the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302 rotate as the input pulley 302 rotates in the rotation direction (second direction) when the motor M reverses. This is a short period of time to weaken the engagement. The predetermined time T2 is set, for example, to a time corresponding to a rotation amount of the motor M of about 10 degrees.

In this way, by reversing the motor M for a short time when the withdrawal of the storage 210a is detected, the engagement between the engagement claw 307b of the coupling member 307 and the engagement surface 302b of the input pulley 302 is weakened. Therefore, due to the biasing force of the release spring 312, the coupling member 307 is smoothly separated from the input pulley 302, and the first transmission path of the drive transmission mechanism 301 is switched from the connected state to the disconnected state. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the stacking tray 221 will be raised while the storage 210a is open.

Note that after performing the non-separation state prevention process of this embodiment, if it is determined that it is necessary to lower the loading tray 221 to a predetermined position, the control unit 203 further reverses the motor M to lower the loading tray 221. let Therefore, when there is no need to lower the stacking tray 221, such as when the stacking tray 221 is already at the lower limit position, only the non-separation state prevention process is performed.

Furthermore, the non-separation state prevention process of this embodiment can be applied to the multistage feeding device of the second embodiment without any problem.

<Other embodiments>
As described above, substantially the same configuration as the storage 210a described in each of the above embodiments is also applied to the other storages 210b and 210c included in the multistage feeding device 200. Further, the configuration of the storage 210a described in each embodiment can also be applied to other sheet storage devices included in the image forming system 1000 (such as the cassette 121 and the elongate feeding device 500 in FIG. 1).

Further, the configuration of the storage 210a described in each of the above embodiments is applicable not only to a sheet feeding device that feeds sheets but also to a sheet discharging device that discharges sheets. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the present technology may be applied to a stacker 410 that discharges and stacks sheets S into a storage 402 using a discharge roller 401 serving as a discharge unit. In other words, the stacker 410 is an example of a sheet storage device having a stacking tray 403 that can be raised and lowered. Furthermore, the stacker 410 can be connected to, for example, an image forming apparatus and used to store sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming apparatus.

Furthermore, the mechanism for lifting and lowering the stacking member is not limited to one that lifts and lowers the stacking tray 221 while holding the stacking tray 221 substantially horizontally using a wire. For example, an elevating mechanism may be used in which the stacking tray is connected to the storage so that it can rotate up and down, and the lower surface of the stacking tray is pressed by a rotating member (lifter plate). In this case, by connecting the rotation shaft of the lifter plate and the motor using the drive transmission mechanism 301 of each of the above embodiments, the same advantages as in each of the embodiments can be obtained.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the configuration is described in which the storage is opened and closed by inserting and pulling out the storage into the housing 204 (apparatus main body). Alternatively, for example, an opening for replenishing sheets may be provided at the top or side of a storage compartment fixed within the apparatus main body, and a cover member covering this opening may be provided to be openable and closable. In this case, when the cover member is opened, the storage is opened, and when the cover member is closed and the opening is closed, the storage is closed.

100...Image forming apparatus/200...Sheet storage device, sheet feeding device (multistage feeding device)/203...Control means (control unit)/204...Casing/210a, 210b, 210c, 402...Storage/231... Sheet feeding means (pickup roller) / 242... Contact portion (moving member) / 300... Lifting mechanism / 301... Drive transmission mechanism / 302... First rotating member (input pulley) / 302a... One-way clutch / 303... Winding Shaft/305...Wire/307...Shutoff means, auxiliary transmission member (coupling member)/309...Second rotating member (drive gear)/310...Rotary shaft/312...Shutoff means, biasing means (release spring)/316 ... Loading means (loading mechanism) / 321 ... Detection means (opening/closing detection sensor) / 401 ... Ejection means (ejection roller) / 410 ... Sheet storage device, sheet ejection device (stacker) / FC ... Supply means (cable) / M ... Drive source (motor)/R1...first direction/R2...second direction

Claims (10)

an openable and closable storage that has a stacking member on which sheets are stacked, and that stores the sheets;
a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the loading member;
a drive source that supplies the lifting mechanism with a first driving force for raising the loading member and a second driving force for lowering the loading member;
a first transmission path that transmits the first driving force from the drive source to the lifting mechanism when the storage is closed; and a first transmission path that transmits the first driving force from the drive source to the lifting mechanism when the storage is closed, and a drive transmission mechanism including a second transmission path that transmits the second driving force from the drive source to the lifting mechanism;
has
The drive transmission mechanism includes a blocking means that connects the first transmission path when the storage is closed and blocks the first transmission path when the storage is open.
A seat storage device characterized by: The storage is opened and closed by being inserted into and pulled out from the housing of the sheet storage device,
The drive source is arranged in the storage,
Further comprising a supply means for supplying power to the drive source in a state in which the storage is closed and in a state in which the storage is open.
The seat storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The blocking means is
an auxiliary transmission member that is provided in the storage and is movable between a connection position that connects the first transmission path and transmits the first driving force and a blocking position that blocks the first transmission path;
urging means for urging the auxiliary transmission member from the connecting position to the blocking position;
including;
When the storage is inserted into the housing, the auxiliary transmission member comes into contact with a contact portion provided on the housing and moves from the blocking position to the connection position, so that the storage is inserted into the housing. When pulled out from the casing, it separates from the contact portion and is urged by the urging means to move from the connecting position to the blocking position;
The seat storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drive transmission mechanism is
arranged on a rotating shaft, receives the first driving force from the driving source to rotate in a first direction, and receives the second driving force from the driving source to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction. a first rotating member that rotates;
a second rotating member disposed on the rotating shaft and connected to the lifting mechanism;
The second transmission path is configured to transmit rotation of the first rotating member in the second direction to the second rotating member, and transmitting rotation of the first rotating member in the first direction to the second rotating member. A one-way clutch that does not transmit transmission,
It further has
The auxiliary transmission member is provided to be movable in the axial direction on the rotation shaft, and when in the connection position, connects the first rotation member and the second rotation member to transmit the rotation in the first direction. transmitting the signal from the first rotating member to the second rotating member, and releasing the connection between the first rotating member and the second rotating member when in the cutoff position;
The seat storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: a detection means for detecting that the storage is pulled out from the housing;
further comprising a control means for executing a process of causing the drive source to output the second driving force for a predetermined period of time when the detection means detects that the storage is pulled out from the housing;
The seat storage device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: further comprising a load means for generating a load that suppresses transmission of the first driving force to the lifting mechanism when the blocking means is in a state where the first driving force can be transmitted when the storage is open. have,
The load means is not connected to the drive transmission mechanism when the storage is closed, and is connected to the drive transmission mechanism when the storage is opened.
The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The drive source is a pulse motor capable of forward and reverse rotation,
The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The lifting mechanism includes a wire that suspends and supports the loading member, and a winding shaft that winds and unwinds the wire using a driving force supplied from the driving source.
The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The seat storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
sheet feeding means for feeding the sheets stored in the sheet storage device;
A sheet feeding device characterized by: a discharge means for discharging the sheet;
The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which stores the sheet discharged by the discharge means.
A sheet discharging device characterized by:

Images